Several clocks, not one
People ask "how long do I keep maintenance records" as if there were one answer. Federal motor carrier rules set different retention periods for different documents, and tax rules add their own. This page lists the federal periods from 49 CFR Part 396 and explains what a repair shop should keep for its fleet customers.
Federal retention periods at a glance
| Record | Who must keep it | How long | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inspection, repair and maintenance records for each vehicle controlled 30 consecutive days | Motor carrier | 1 year where the vehicle is housed or maintained, and 6 months after the vehicle leaves the carrier's control | 49 CFR 396.3(c) |
| Driver vehicle inspection report, repair certification, driver review certification | Motor carrier | 3 months from the date of the report | 49 CFR 396.11(a)(4) |
| Annual (periodic) inspection report | Motor carrier, intermodal equipment provider or other entity responsible for the inspection | 14 months from the date of the report | 49 CFR 396.21(b) |
| Roadside inspection report with certification of corrections | Motor carrier | 12 months from the date of the inspection | 49 CFR 396.9(d)(3) |
| Evidence of annual inspector qualifications | Motor carrier | While the person performs annual inspections for the carrier, and 1 year after | 49 CFR 396.19(b) |
| Evidence of brake inspector qualifications | Motor carrier | While the person is employed as a brake inspector, and 1 year after | 49 CFR 396.25(e) |
All periods are as shown on eCFR on October 30, 2026. Section 396.3 shows an amendment published in July 2026, so read the current text before you rely on it.
What each record must contain
Maintenance records (396.3(b)). For each vehicle: identification including company unit number if marked, make, serial number and year, and the owner's name if the carrier does not own it; a means to show the nature and due date of the various inspection and maintenance operations; a record of inspection, repairs and maintenance showing their date and nature; and, for buses, records of tests on pushout windows, emergency doors and emergency door marking lights. A PM schedule plus dated repair orders usually covers this.
DVIRs (396.11). The driver's report listing defects, the carrier's or agent's certification that each was repaired or that repair is unnecessary, and the next driver's signature acknowledging review.
Annual inspection reports (396.21(a)). The inspector, the carrier, the date, the vehicle, the components inspected and the results including failures, and a certification that the inspection was accurate and complete.
Roadside inspection reports (396.9(d)). After a roadside inspection, the carrier certifies within 15 days that all violations were corrected and keeps a copy for 12 months, at its principal place of business or where the vehicle is housed.
Where the records are kept
Section 396.3(c) says maintenance records are retained where the vehicle is either housed or maintained. Section 396.9(d)(3) says roadside reports are kept at the carrier's principal place of business or where the vehicle is housed. Electronic records are allowed for DVIRs under 396.11(a)(6) and generally under 49 CFR 390.32, which sets rules for electronic documents and signatures.
What this means for a repair shop
The legal duties above belong to the motor carrier. A repair shop is not the carrier, but your records become part of the carrier's records, and fleets lean on you to supply them. Three practical rules:
- Match or beat the carrier's longest federal clock for the documents you produce. Your repair orders feed the 396.3 maintenance record (1 year plus 6 months after the vehicle leaves the carrier). Your annual inspection reports must be available for 14 months. Keeping both for at least two years covers those clocks with margin, though the 6 months after disposal can run longer if a carrier keeps a vehicle for many years. Many shops simply keep everything.
- Keep records findable by unit, not only by invoice number. An auditor or fleet manager asks for "unit 4127's history," not "invoice 18342." Store the unit number, VIN and the carrier name on every document.
- Keep the DVIR with the repair order. The carrier keeps DVIRs for 3 months, but the repair order that fixed the defect is part of the longer maintenance record. Linking them shows the defect, the repair and the certification together.
Common questions from fleets
"Can you send me everything you did on this truck last year?" This is the most common request, usually before an audit or a sale of the vehicle. If your records are organized by unit, it takes minutes. If they are organized only by invoice date, it can take hours.
"Do we still need the DVIR from four months ago?" Under 396.11(a)(4) the carrier's obligation is three months, but if that DVIR led to a repair, the repair is part of the maintenance record kept for longer under 396.3. Keep them together.
"The truck was sold. Can we throw out its file?" Not right away. Section 396.3(c) keeps the maintenance records for 6 months after the vehicle leaves the carrier's control, and tax rules on property records can run longer.
Tax records are a separate question
Business records also have tax retention periods. The IRS says, in general, to keep records for 3 years from the date you filed the return, with longer periods in specific situations: 7 years for a claim for a loss from worthless securities or a bad debt deduction, 6 years if you do not report income that you should report and it is more than 25 percent of the gross income shown on the return, and at least 4 years for employment tax records. Records connected to property, such as a service truck, are kept until the period of limitations expires for the year you dispose of the property. Talk with your accountant about your situation. Because invoices and repair orders are both tax records and maintenance records, the longer of the two periods is the practical minimum.
State rules and customer contracts
Some states set their own rules for intrastate carriers and for repair businesses, such as requirements to keep copies of repair invoices for consumer protection purposes. Fleet maintenance contracts can also require longer retention. Check the rules of each state you work in and read your contracts.
Paper or digital
Nothing in Part 396 requires paper. What matters is that records are complete, legible, retrievable and, where signatures are involved, meet 390.32 if electronic. Digital records have practical advantages for a shop:
- no lost carbon copies;
- photos of defects and repairs stay with the record;
- a fleet can be sent a unit's full history in minutes;
- backups protect against fire and water damage.
MetaFleet keeps repair orders, inspections and invoices tied to the customer and unit, and fleet customers can see their orders in the customer portal. See work orders, inspections and DVIRs, or get a walkthrough.
A simple retention policy you can adopt
- Repair orders, invoices and inspection reports: keep at least as long as the longest of 396.3, 396.21 and your tax period, organized by customer and unit.
- DVIRs received from fleets: keep with the matching repair order.
- Technician qualification files (396.19 and 396.25): keep while the person works for you and at least 1 year after; send copies to fleets that rely on them.
- Review the policy once a year against the current eCFR text and IRS guidance.
This guide is a summary, not legal or tax advice.